Lately, the CNBC management team and show producers, and certainly the Comcast C-suite, have been engaged in a flurry of activity: from the departure of the iconic money honey Maria Bartiromo, to the retention of virtually every nubile (and not so nubile) Bloomberg TV anchor, it seems the station that was once known for breaking and analyzing financial news is more focused on the perfect mix of TV anchors. Supposedly in lieu of relevant, actionable content, this will offset the boost viewership. Or so the thinking goes. Sadly this is the same sort of thinking that has made slideshows, kittens, and all-caps headlines an ubiqutous click bait fixture of web media. Unfortunately for CNBC (and perhaps explaining Bartiromo's decision to jump ship after decades of loyalty) it is not working. According to the latest Nielsen Research data, in November, CNBC's core 25-54 demographic saw its fourth consecutive month of declines, and dropped to just 31,000 - a declined of over 40% from a year earlier, and the lowest since February 1993: a fresh 20 year low.

Some other highlights. CNBC has seen a constant decline in its viewership starting with 2008 when it attracted a total of 274,000 viewers, and 88,000 in its demo, for its full day audience. Subsequently viewership dropped as follows:

2009: P2: 226,000; 25-54: 75,000

2010: P2: 208,000; 25-54: 65,000

2011: P2: 199,000; 25-54: 60,000

2012: P2: 171,000; 25-54: 52,000

And the full 2013 breakdown: P2: 147,000; 25-54: 42,000.

In short - total viewership has plunged by 46% in the total audiences, and by 52% in the demographic over the past five years. Which incidentally follows the volume of the "stock market" nearly tick for tick.

What this means is that Bartiromo may have been the latest high profile departure from the station, but she certainly won't be the last one - the writing on the wall is very clear.

The "good" news is that one can expect progressively more eye candy to grace the mute ticker, as instead of focusing on the only thing that matters to viewers - content - the station follows virtually all other dying legacy (and social) media in pursuing the lowest common denominator, which usually comes in high heels and a mini skirt.

Finally, if interest in CNBC is indeed comparable to overall retail (and institutional) participation in the market as many believe, then not only is the retail investor not coming back, ever, contrary to what the doctored propaganda from assorted funds would like to represent (because strength is always in herds, pardon, numbers) but Bernanke better hope that the "BT(F)D mentality" so eloquently popularized by the abovementioned now ex-CNBC anchor, never departs or else there will be nobody to pick up the pieces on the way down when the selling begins.

I guess even that Australian chick with the nice rack isn't enough to pull in the ratings.

The only thing that'll bring the viewers back is another dot-com-like bubble. If everybody is making money in the market, then CNBC could have Joseph Goebbels and Lord Haw Haw on the floor of the NYSE and nobody would much care. But it sure looks like retail investors have been burned too many times, so that bridge may have been burned.

Wait! I know, I know, what CNBC really needs are more appearances by Dick "Oy Vey" Bove' or Fred "Iceland is great" Mischkin. Straight as an arrow those fellas are.

Finally, if interest in CNBC is indeed comparable to overall retail (and institutional) participation in the market as many believe, then not only is the retail investor not coming back, ever, contrary to what the doctored propaganda from assorted funds would like to represent (because strength is always in herds, pardon, numbers) but Bernanke better hope that the "BT(F)D mentality" so eloquently popularized by the abovementioned now ex-CNBC anchor, never departs or else there will be nobody to pick up the pieces on the way down when the selling begins.

Agree with the article and this paragraph until...when the selling begins...if there is no volume, if there is no market - then there is only a buyer with QEternity dollars to buy ever moar. Serious, I have a funny feeling that much of the drop in volume is because a large part of the float is being "retired" just like the Treasury notes and bonds are being "retired" by the Fed. Once purchased, these will never come back on the market and for all intents and purposes are dead...except for bonds they must be rolled but no issue once owned by the Fed or "foreigners" who are really represent the CB's...I have the funny feeling these equities are being retired and the total float is shrinking by trillions...nothing helps push prices higher than reducing the float and increasing the dollars with which to buy said float. I have no proof but plenty of mud to sling.

When one thinks of the amount of liquid digital CB created 1's and 0's looking for a home...what should take place is at least an occasional equity sell off that ultimately drives interest rates lower...but since the equity market won't be allowed to sell off (so much liquidity), then not even a minor sell off is now possible to slosh money from risk to bonds so subsequently interest rates are higher (I know, 2.7% seems low...but think of Japan) and the Fed is slowing the very bubble they want to blow thus they can't slow QE...talk bout the catch 22 of a centrally controlled market where you are coming and going all at once. Being a market, the market(s) all by yourself must be confusing?!? Just thinking of the reflexivity of trying to drive in so many directions all at once.

lol i havent watched in a few months, i flipped it on yesterday and couldnt beleive they still had things to talk about besides how much the fed was buying since thats all this market is and ever will be. market, snickers.

In short - total viewership has plunged by 46% in the total audiences, and by 52% in the demographic over the past five years. Which incidentally follows the volume of the "stock market" nearly tick for tick.

Volume? LOL! Maybe they can get the algos and robots to watch their shit?

GE sold NBC to Comcast a couple of years ago. Jeff Emmelt was Obama's biggest ass kisser so when Comcast took over, I was hoping the pro Obama propaganda would stop and be replaced by hard factual reporting and analysis. Alas, all we got was the same old shit. When will Comcast pull the plug on this shit show? I agree that RT is more interesting to watch.

Dylan was good...he was on to this housing b.s. since day one. But what killed the "community" was the loss of even the pretense of journalistic integrity (same goes for fox I might add.) the folks with the money bought the output...so propaganda has gone through the roof and reporting has dropped to zero. Maria still asks good questions...but at the wnd of the day there's no Walter Cronkite to remind people "we've lost the war." it's like..."yo, dude...you need to get out period" (and I'm the last person who should be saying that actually.) the informational value of the network still exists...they're the only market moving news on the Planet...even with darn near zero viewership and ZERO on-line presence it is still a must watch for traders and "company men." having said that they have ZERO communication strategy with the viewer and obviously wouldn't even know the concept of integrity (journalistic or otherwise) if it flashed a badge and said "today's the day we're gonna start arresting yuze guys." in other words they have utterly failed to create a bond of trust with the viewer...you're better off watching Seinfeld or MASH re-runs. comedy is all about the pretense of truth...and great journalists delve deep into the incongruity of existence...especially your own.

How about shackling everyone at CNBC--including the gang of thugs that has already run (except Ratigan)--in times square, nude, and provide water-boarding equipment for any victims that happen to pass through. I know I would happen to pass through--just after drinking the biggest outlawed soda I could find...

Mark Haines died...and that place went with him. The folks who pay for those shows know it too. "all about the ME in Media" and never about trying to explain something to people...say like..."going over Niagra Falls in an inner tube is dangerous!" for example. I mean give me at least a back drop of Musk launching rocket number three so I can at least watch in real time what real money is. CRAZINESS!